With the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia launched itself on a
fitful transition to Western-style democracy and a market economy. But a
decade later, Boris Yeltsin's handpicked successor--Vladimir Putin, a
self-described childhood hooligan turned KGB officer--resolved to end
the revolution. Kremlin Rising goes behind the scenes of contemporary
Russia to offer a sobering picture of its leader and the direction in
which the country is now headed.
As Moscow bureau chiefs for the Washington Post, Peter Baker and Susan
Glasser witnessed firsthand the methodical campaign to reverse the
post-Soviet revolution and transform Russia back into an authoritarian
state. Their gripping narrative moves from Putin's unlikely rise through
the key moments of his tenure. But the authors go beyond the politics to
draw a moving and vivid portrait of the Russian people they
encountered--both those who have prospered and those barely
surviving--and show how the political flux has shaped these individuals'
lives.
With shrewd reporting and unprecedented access to Putin's insiders,
Kremlin Rising offers both unsettling revelations about Russia's
leader and a compelling inside look at life in the land he is building.
This book is an extraordinary contribution to our understanding of
Russia and the debate about the country's uncertain future and its
relationship with the United States.